While NFL plays title games, world waits on Tom Brady’s decision

While the NFL conference championship games went on without Tom Brady for only the second time in 11 years, the world waits for the quarterback to make his future plans official. An announcement was expected soon and a person close to Brady told The Associated Press his decision will be based on family priorities, not finances, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak on Brady’s behalf. Brady has stated a desire to spend more time with his wife and three children.

Brady’s contract is a complicated matter. He signed a $25 million, one-year extension with three voidable years last March to free up salary cap space to allow the Buccaneers to return all 22 starters from the Super Bowl-winning team. Brady is scheduled to earn a base salary of $8.925 million in 2022 with a signing bonus of $15 million, a roster bonus of $1,470,588, and an incentive bonus of $1.875 million, while carrying a cap hit of $20,270,588 and a dead cap value of $32 million. He’ll be paid $15 million of his $20 million signing bonus Friday, but he would owe the team money if he retires. The Bucs could choose to let Brady keep the bonus because he rejuvenated the franchise and led them to their second Super Bowl title in his first season in Tampa.

ESPN first reported Brady’s retirement Saturday, citing unidentified sources. Brady’s company posted a tweet indicating he’s retiring, and reaction came from around the world. But Tb12sports deleted its tweet, and Brady’s agent said Brady would be the only person to accurately express his future.